THE ARCHER SCHOOLFOR GIRLS

Los Angeles, CADirector of Educational Technology

Start Date: July 1, 2019www.archer.org

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The Archer School for Girls in Los Angeles, California, was founded in 1995 with the mission of providing a highly intellectual and creative learning environment designed around the ways girls learn best. A grade 6-12 school of nearly 500 students, Archer is deeply committed to supporting and challenging young women to discover their passions and realize their true potential. In a caring environment, the School provides a rigorous, integrated college preparatory curriculum that fosters critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, collaboration, and community engagement. At this time, the School seeks a Director of Educational Technology to lead its campus-wide technology operations and strengthen academic technology.

As a contemporary girls’ school, The Archer School shaped its mission to focus on educating the future female leaders of this country in an environment that is at once ambitious and joyful. he Archer offers a 21st-century, highly experiential liberal arts program with an added emphasis on STEM and the arts. In particular, the School program not only prepares students for college but also instills five core competencies: a creative and entrepreneurial spirit; critical thinking and intellect, powerful speaking, writing, and presenting skills; the ability to team and collaborate; and the character and drive to lead. The School does this in a culture that, by design, is closely-knit, collaborative, and diverse. The girls build strong, positive relationships with faculty mentors, take intellectual risks with their ideas, build leadership skills, and cultivate their passions.

OVERVIEW

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FAST FACTS

ESTABLISHED:

1995TOTAL ENROLLMENT:

495

STUDENT/TEACHER RATIO:

7:1NUMBER OF FACULTY:

68

SCHOOL TYPE:

Independent girls’ school, grades 6-12

FINANCIAL AID:

$4 million in 2018-2019

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Archer provides an innovative and thoughtfully structured curriculum that explicitly teaches critical skills through an integrated approach to learning. Knowledge and skills are anchored in enduring understandings to prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century so graduates can thrive in an increasingly connected and global world. The curriculum affords students active learning opportunities to construct knowledge and derive meaning.

Computer science, engineering, and digital literacy is integrated throughout the Archer curriculum because the School believes in offering incredible opportunities for self-expression, creativity, and innovation. From coding in sixth grade, engineering and design in seventh, and app design and virtual reality in eighth, to advanced java programming and invention and product development in Upper School, courses at Archer prepare students for the future.

Archer’s mission to foster students’ critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and intellectual curiosity is supported by a technological learning ecosystem that includes laptops, interactive whiteboards, tablets, and more. Archer doesn’t believe that technology is the innovation, but rather, it is the catalyst. Computers serve as a diverse, cognitive tool that supports transformational teaching and learning at Archer. The School follows a 1 to 1 Device Program where every student has either an Apply iPad or MacBook Pro. Through the purposeful and natural integration of digital tools, Archer teachers develop innovative and individualized learning opportunities for all students.

ACADEMICS AND TECHNOLOGY

MISSIONThe Archer School for Girls is an educational community that supports and challenges young women to discover their passions and realize their true potential.

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The Archer School occupies the former Eastern Star Home for Women, a remarkable 1931 Spanish Colonial Revival building on famed Sunset Boulevard in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989, the upgraded structure provides Archer girls with a one-of-a-kind learning environment complete with wood beams, colorful mosaic fountains, and intricate architectural features around every corner. True to its origins, the building feels more like a home than a school.

In 2015, the City of Los Angeles approved The Archer School for Girls’ Campus Preservation and Improvement Plan — to further update and expand the school facilities. Last December, Archer broke ground on the construction of the new Academic Center. The facility, complete with over 30 state-of-the-art classrooms, a kitchen, and a student center, is slated to open in later this year.

CAMPUS

The City of Los Angeles, with four million people, is the most populous city in California and the second most populous in the nation. The broader metropolitan LA area, covering around 470 square miles, includes 13 million residents. Los Angeles is the cultural, financial and commercial center of Southern California. Of course, LA is also the home to Hollywood and services as one of the world centers in the entertainment industry. It has also hosted the Summer Olympics twice (1932 and 1984) and is set to do so again in 2028.

There are many reasons for LA’s popularity. The Mediterranean weather, the beaches, and the incredible food scene come to mind. But the city offers a great deal more — and thus scores high on just about every livability index. On the entertainment front, LA is home to the Los Angeles Music Center, one of the largest performing arts centers in the nation; The Walt Disney Concert Hall (home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic); the Dolby Theater (venue for the Academy Awards); and the Los Angeles Opera. The city also has a remarkably robust art scene with 841 museums and galleries in the region. Notable museums include the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Getty Center, the Natural History Museum, and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Dozens of galleys line Galley Row near downtown LA.

The city is home to an unusual number of professional sports teams, including the Dodgers and Angeles in baseball, the Lakers and Clippers in basketball, and the Chargers and Rams in football. LA is also home to some the nation’s top colleges and universities, including UCLA, University of Southern California, Occidental College, Loyola Marymount University, Mount St. Mary’s College, and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. For those who love outdoor sports, a number of state parks are situated just north of The Archer School for Girls, with four national forests and mountains within driving distance.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

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The Director of Educational Technology is responsible for the implementation, support, and effective use of educational technologies in all aspects of the educational process at Archer. These responsibilities include researching, piloting, promoting, and providing training in existing and emerging technologies that benefit student learning and program outcomes.

Archer is a 1:1 Apple laptop environment, and fortunate to have a faculty that is eager to make use of its cutting-edge technological resources. The Director of Educational Technology collaborates as part of a team with the Director of Information Technology, IT staff, and faculty to research, recommend, and implement existing and emerging technologies that best serve the students and program. Candidates must be skilled in meaningfully integrating digital tools for high-level learning, knowledgeable of blended learning models, and eager to continue their professional development to support Archer’s innovative pedagogy.

The ideal candidate has a strong educational background, demonstrated technical acumen, advanced teaching skills, and a passion for working with young people. Candidates should be proactive and self-motivated to advance the use of technology for education.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Faculty and Student Support• Support faculty across the curriculum in designing and applying innovative solutions to

enhance student learning;• Develop, coordinate, and lead professional development and training opportunities for

faculty (including large group, small group, and individual trainings);• Foster and facilitate student interest in technology (including advising STEM-related

student clubs and leading community outreach);

RESPONSIBILITIES

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• Teach one technology related course (Digital Literacy);• Investigate and address faculty technology needs, while encouraging purposeful, innovative,

and effective use of instructional technology throughout the school community;• Actively participate in professional communities, technology conferences, and educational

opportunities to update awareness of current software, hardware, and educational trends.

Program and Systems• Work in collaboration with department chairs to support all technology-related curricular

programs including the Institute for Film & Video Literacy, Digital Journalism, Computer Science program, and Engineering and Design;

• Work closely with Division Directors and Department Chairs to ensure that technology initiatives are regularly evaluated and are consistent with departmental goals and the School’s mission;

• Develop and implement student skills benchmarks concurrent with ISTE NETS for students, including formative assessment to measure the benchmark’s effectiveness;

• Administer academic technology tools (LMS system, web-based services);• Consult with IT and Administration on purchasing issues regarding technology;• Provide ongoing evaluation and enforcement of information technology policies, procedures’

and documentation, including appropriate use policies;• Collaborate with the Information Technology staff to implement the academic, technical,

tactical, and financial aspects of the School’s 1:1 laptop program;• Locate, recommend, and preview new and emerging technologies, software, and hardware

solutions that support both academic programs and administrative functions;• Work closely with the registrar on planning, deploying, creating, training, and monitoring

systems that relate to attendance, grading, standardized testing, parent teacher conferences, registration, and other academic program planning items;

• Work closely with other departments to monitor and design useful procedures in the Core database, Student Information System, and all related products.

Leadership and Innovation• Collaborate with the IT staff and all of the School’s constituencies to set the information

technology strategic short- and long-term goals to incorporate the use of present and emerging technologies;

• Lead the Tech Task Force as well as other technology-related committees that are comprised of administration, faculty, and staff;

• Facilitate the implementation of long-term strategic initiatives, such as blended learning, digital scholarship, and citizenship, to create personalized learning experiences that focus on the development of 21st-century skills in every content area and that are continuous, inside and outside of the School’s walls;

• Support the effective use of technology resources that collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning.

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Interested and qualified candidates should submit electronically in one email and as separate documents (preferably as PDFs) the following materials:

• A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position;• A current résumé;• A list of three professional references with name, phone number, and email address of

each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission) to:

Scott RoyChief Technology Officer, Search Consultantscott.roy@carneysandoe.com

TO APPLY